National Museum of American Illustration facts for kids
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| Established | 1998 |
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| Location | Newport, Rhode Island, US |
| Type | Visual art |
The National Museum of American Illustration (NMAI) is a special place in Newport, Rhode Island. It opened in 1998 and was the first museum in the country just for American illustration art. The museum is inside the beautiful Vernon Court mansion on Bellevue Avenue. It holds more than 2,000 original artworks. These pieces are by famous American illustrators like Norman Rockwell, Maxfield Parrish, J. C. Leyendecker, and N.C. Wyeth.
Contents
Discovering the NMAI's Story
The NMAI was started in 1998 by Laurence S. Cutler and Judy Goffman Cutler. They began the museum in their home, Vernon Court. Before this, Judy Goffman Cutler was an art dealer. She owned the American Illustrators Gallery. Later, she moved her own art collection to the museum. The museum first opened for special visits. Then, in October 2000, it started welcoming the public regularly. It took two years to get all the approvals needed. The NMAI is especially known for its large collection of Norman Rockwell's art.
The Museum's Homes: Vernon Court and Stoneacre
The NMAI is located in the grand Vernon Court mansion. The museum also owns the property next door, called Stoneacre. Stoneacre is named after a mansion that used to be there. The famous landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted created the grounds for Stoneacre. After the museum bought the land, they restored it. It is now a beautiful arboretum, which is like a tree garden, honoring Olmsted. The original Stoneacre mansion was designed by architect William A. Potter. In 2016, the grounds of Stoneacre became a recognized arboretum. They even have several Rhode Island State Champion trees.
Exploring the NMAI Art Collection
The NMAI's collection is called the American Imagist Collection. It mainly shows art from the 'Golden Age of American Illustration'. This important time for art lasted from about 1865 to 1945. It ended when the original Saturday Evening Post magazine stopped being published.
Famous Illustrators and Their Art
The NMAI displays original art by many well-known illustrators. These include Norman Rockwell, Maxfield Parrish, N.C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, J. C. Leyendecker, and Jessie Willcox Smith. These artists created pictures that became a big part of American culture. They drew everything from the New Year’s Baby to Uncle Sam. Because of these iconic images, the NMAI's collection is called the American Imagist Collection.
Special Works by Norman Rockwell
Some of the famous works by Norman Rockwell in the collection include Russian Schoolroom and The Runaway. The museum also has many interesting items related to art. For example, you can see Norman Rockwell's first paint box. There are also Maxfield Parrish’s special stippling paint brushes. The museum also has many old photographs that helped artists create their illustrations.
